Spotting The First Signs Of Autumn With Kids

As summer starts to draw to a close, there are plenty of signs to look out for that indicate autumn is on the way. The changes in the weather, the leaves falling from the trees, and wild mushrooms springing up are signs of autumn that usually start to appear at the beginning of September. When it comes to spotting the first signs of autumn with your kids, there are plenty of wonderful things in nature to discover and seek out. 

Today, we’re going to be discovering more about the first signs of autumn, and learning how to spot the signs that indicate the changing seasons. If you’re ready to head outside with your kids and get stuck into nature, keep reading! 

When is the first day of autumn?

Before we can start exploring the first signs of autumn, we need to know when summer ends, and autumn begins. It sounds like a pretty straightforward question, however, working out the first day of autumn depends on which calendar you want to go by. According to the meteorological calendar, the first day of autumn always falls on the 1st of September. However, if you follow the astronomical calendar, which is based on the Sun’s position in relation to Earth, it changes every year. In 2024, the first day of Autumn falls on Sunday 22nd September. 

What  Are The First Signs Of Autumn?

Now we know when autumn officially begins, it’s time to learn more about the first signs of autumn that we can spot when out and about. Spotting the first signs of autumn can be done anywhere, no matter where you live, so don’t worry if you live in an urban area – there’s still lots to see! Today, we’re going to be talking about the first signs of autumn that you can spot with your kids anywhere in the UK, from your back garden, to your local park, or even on your school run! Here’s what we are going to learn about today: 

• The Leaves Changing Colour
• You Can Forage For Fruit
• Falling Seeds
• Migrating Birds In The Sky
• Wild Mushrooms & Fungi 
• Flowering Ivy

Let’s talk about each sign of autumn in more detail!

The Leaves Changing Colour

One of the very first signs of autumn that you will spot is the leaves on the trees changing colour. If you look up and notice that the fresh, crisp greens that usually adorn the trees in your area are starting to fade, you’ve spotted one of the first signs of autumn. But why do leaves change colour in autumn? Well, this is all to do with the cooler temperatures and the shorter days that are associated with autumn and winter. 

When the days are shorter and there’s less sunlight, the trees around us stop producing something called chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is what the trees use to convert sunlight into energy to grow. It is also the pigment that gives the leaves their green colour. Therefore, when the production slows down, the chlorophyll fades, and the yellow and red colours are revealed. 

You Can Forage For Fruit

Have you ever been out on a walk during autumn and picked blackberries? This is called foraging. Foraging is when you can walk in nature and find and pick edible fruits to eat, or bake into delicious desserts, such as blackberry and apple crumble. 

One of the first signs of autumn you’ll notice is the bushes and hedgerows around you start to fill with juicy fruits that you can pick. Look out for tasty treats such as blackberries, wild raspberries, apples, hawthorn berries, elderberries, and even wild strawberries. 

Remember to be responsible when foraging for fruit during autumn. These edible foods are not just tasty snacks for us, but they’re also part of our badgers’ and foxes’ diets. Make sure you leave plenty of berries for your local wildlife too. 

Falling Seeds and Nuts

Along with juicy fruits, you may also notice falling seeds on your walks during autumn. Have you ever played Conkers? Did you know that a conker is actually a type of seed? The conker is the seed of a horse chestnut tree, and there are plenty of other seeds and nuts to spot when looking for the first signs of autumn. 

Some seeds and nuts that fall in autumn are edible, which means you can eat them. If you’re lucky, you might spot edible seeds and nuts, such as hazelnuts, sweet chestnuts and walnuts. Watch out though, as there are some that cannot be eaten, such as horse chestnuts (conkers).

Migrating Birds In The Sky

Many of the birds that you may have seen in the sky during summer start to fly south for the winter. Birds such as nightingales, swallows, cuckoos, and swifts all fly south to find warmer climates for the colder months of the year. 

All is not lost though, as we also start to see birds from colder countries head to the UK, where the weather is warmer for them during the winter months. You may start to see redwings, waxwings, and some types of ducks and geese fly above you as they make the UK their home for the next few months. 

Wild Mushrooms & Fungi 

One of my favourite first signs of autumn has to be seeing all the wild mushrooms popping up in meadows and woodland. There are so many varieties of mushrooms and fungi to spot, and I love exploring with the kids to see what we can find! I recommend getting your hands on a Mushroom ID book* so you can keep track of what you’ve seen, and even learn a little more about it. Wild mushrooms love the cooler and damper weather, and there are lots of weird and wonderful mushrooms to find, some of them even have imaginative names such as “Dead Man’s Fingers” and “Chicken Of The Woods”. 

Some mushrooms are edible, but my advice is to leave wild mushrooms well alone unless you are 100% sure that you can correctly ID them. Very often an edible mushroom will look almost identical to an inedible mushroom, with only one or two subtle differences. To avoid becoming poorly, please do not pick wild mushrooms unless you can be sure you know what you’re doing. 

Flowering Ivy

Ivy is a plant that you see almost everywhere in the UK. Whether in hedgerows, on buildings, or on tree trunks. This plant only flowers in autumn, which makes it a great identifying marker that autumn has arrived. If you spot some ivy out and about, take a closer look and you will see small clumps of yellow-green flowers. Because ivy flowers in autumn, it’s an extremely important plant for our pollinators that are still active, such as bees and butterflies. 

Fun Things To Do With Kids In Autumn

Now that you know the first signs of autumn, it’s time to get outside and enjoy it! There are plenty of fun autumn activities to get stuck into, such as exploring new autumnal walking spots, getting crafty with some autumn-themed art projects, or even baking autumn treats with foraged food. 

If you’re looking for more ideas on what to do with your kids this autumn, check out some of our other posts that are listed below:  

• Learn how to identify animal tracks with our Free Printable Animal Tracking bundle
• Try these Pumpkin Painting Ideas instead of carving your Halloween pumpkins
• Collect conkers and learn how to play the classic conkers game
• Take a look at our Autumn Bucket List – 30+ things to do with kids in autumn
• Make an autumn suncatcher with this Autumn Suncatcher Art project
• Explore your senses with this Autumn Spiced Cinnamon Homemade Playdough recipe

Spotting The First Signs Of Autumn Is A Great Way To Bond As A Family

As you can see, there are lots of fun ways to spot the first signs of autumn during the month of September. Getting outside as a family and tracking down these signs is a great way to get outside and explore the world around you. Why not print out our free First Signs Of Autumn Scavenger Hunt and tick off all the signs of autumn that we’ve just learnt about as you spot them?

Do you have any autumn traditions that you like to do as a family? I’d love to hear them, so please let me know in the comment section below!